diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 38bccdb91bf..dcb7de25f2e 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ variables:
   CI_IMAGE:                        "paritytech/ci-linux:production"
   DOCKER_OS:                       "debian:stretch"
   ARCH:                            "x86_64"
-  ZOMBIENET_IMAGE:                 "docker.io/paritytech/zombienet:v1.2.59"
+  ZOMBIENET_IMAGE:                 "docker.io/paritytech/zombienet:v1.2.80"
 
 .collect-artifacts:                &collect-artifacts
   artifacts:
diff --git a/zombienet_tests/0002-pov_recovery.feature b/zombienet_tests/0002-pov_recovery.feature
index fa9836e264b..0b4d0a81de8 100644
--- a/zombienet_tests/0002-pov_recovery.feature
+++ b/zombienet_tests/0002-pov_recovery.feature
@@ -3,11 +3,20 @@ Network: ./0002-pov_recovery.toml
 Creds: config
 
 
-alice: is up
-bob: is up
-charlie: is up
-dave: is up
-eve: is up
-alice: parachain 2000 is registered within 225 seconds
-dave: reports block height is at least 7 within 250 seconds
-eve: reports block height is at least 7 within 250 seconds
+validator-0: is up
+validator-1: is up
+validator-2: is up
+validator-3: is up
+alice: is up within 60 seconds
+bob: is up within 60 seconds
+charlie: is up within 60 seconds
+
+# wait 30 blocks and register parachain
+validator-3: reports block height is at least 30 within 250 seconds
+validator-0: js-script ./register-para.js with "2000" within 240 seconds
+validator-0: parachain 2000 is registered within 300 seconds
+
+# check block production
+bob: reports block height is at least 20 within 600 seconds
+alice: reports block height is at least 20 within 600 seconds
+charlie: reports block height is at least 20 within 600 seconds
diff --git a/zombienet_tests/0002-pov_recovery.toml b/zombienet_tests/0002-pov_recovery.toml
index fc62d94595a..a9117dd82c6 100644
--- a/zombienet_tests/0002-pov_recovery.toml
+++ b/zombienet_tests/0002-pov_recovery.toml
@@ -1,44 +1,51 @@
 [relaychain]
 default_image = "{{RELAY_IMAGE}}"
 default_command = "polkadot"
-default_args = [ "-lparachain=debug" ]
 
 chain = "rococo-local"
 
-  [[relaychain.nodes]]
-  name = "alice"
-  validator = true
+[relaychain.genesis.runtime.runtime_genesis_config.configuration.config]
+# set parameters such that collators only connect to 1 validator as a backing group
+max_validators_per_core = 1
+group_rotation_frequency = 100 # 10 mins
 
   [[relaychain.nodes]]
-  name = "bob"
-  validator = true
+  name = "ferdie" # bootnode fullnode
+  validator = false
+
+  [[relaychain.node_groups]]
+  name = "validator"
+  count = 13
+  args = ["-lparachain::availability=trace,sync=debug,parachain=debug", "--reserved-only", "--reserved-nodes {{'ferdie'|zombie('multiAddress')}}"]
 
 [[parachains]]
 id = 2000
 cumulus_based = true
+register_para = false
+add_to_genesis = false
 
-  # run charlie as parachain collator
+  # run bob as a parachain collator who is the only one producing blocks
+  # alice and charlie will need to recover the pov blocks through availability recovery
   [[parachains.collators]]
-  name = "charlie"
-  validator = true
+  name = "bob"
+  validator = true # collator
   image = "{{COL_IMAGE}}"
   command = "test-parachain"
-  args = ["-lparachain=debug"]
+  args = ["--disable-block-announcements"]
 
-  # Run dave as parachain collator and eve as parachain full node
-  #
-  # They will need to recover the pov blocks through availability recovery.
+  # run alice as a parachain collator who does not produce blocks
+  # alice is a bootnode for bob and charlie
   [[parachains.collators]]
-  name = "dave"
-  validator = true
+  name = "alice"
+  validator = true # collator
   image = "{{COL_IMAGE}}"
   command = "test-parachain"
-  args = ["--reserved-only", "--reserved-nodes {{'charlie'|zombie('multiAddress')}}", "--use-null-consensus", "--disable-block-announcements"]
+  args = ["-lparachain::availability=trace,sync=debug,parachain=debug,cumulus-pov-recovery=debug", "--use-null-consensus", "--disable-block-announcements", "--bootnodes {{'bob'|zombie('multiAddress')}}",  "--", "--reserved-only", "--reserved-nodes {{'ferdie'|zombie('multiAddress')}}"]
 
-  # run eve as parachain full node that is only connected to dave
+  # run eve as a parachain full node
   [[parachains.collators]]
-  name = "eve"
-  validator = false
+  name = "charlie"
+  validator = false # full node
   image = "{{COL_IMAGE}}"
   command = "test-parachain"
-  args = ["--reserved-only", "--reserved-nodes {{'charlie'|zombie('multiAddress')}}", "--use-null-consensus", "--disable-block-announcements"]
+  args = ["-lparachain::availability=trace,sync=debug,parachain=debug,cumulus-pov-recovery=debug", "--disable-block-announcements", "--bootnodes {{'bob'|zombie('multiAddress')}}","--", "--reserved-only", "--reserved-nodes {{'ferdie'|zombie('multiAddress')}}"]
diff --git a/zombienet_tests/register-para.js b/zombienet_tests/register-para.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c080904aefe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zombienet_tests/register-para.js
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+async function run(nodeName, networkInfo, args) {
+    const paraIdStr = args[0];
+    const para = networkInfo.paras[paraIdStr];
+    const relayNode = networkInfo.relay[0];
+
+    await zombie.registerParachain(parseInt(paraIdStr,10),para.wasmPath, para.statePath, relayNode.wsUri, "//Alice", true);
+}
+
+module.exports = { run }